Susan Robbins

Susan Robbins, I.G.M.A. Fellow

Although I cannot remember a time I was not drawing or painting on any surface, including my headboard and walls in my room, nursing was my first choice as a profession. I loved being a nurse. A motor vehicle accident forced me into early retirement with time on my hands.

A wonderful therapist encouraged me to take up a hobby so I purchased acrylic paints and started painting scenes with area barns and covered bridges. I took a few classes with area artists and decided to go back to school and major in art. Kutztown University in Pennsylvania has an excellent art college. My painting professor insisted on oils and archival products and opened a whole new world. Besides the smell of linseed oil, I fell in love with the exceptional characteristics of oils.

My introduction to miniatures was more deliberate. I purchased a dollhouse kit with no real idea how to begin. Enclosed in the purchases was a Miniature Collector magazine with an ad for a miniature show. My husband and I attended the show and the first table I visited was the International Guild of Miniature Artisans. My husband encouraged me to attend the school that summer. Barbara Stanton was teaching that year and I attended her class. During the year I tried my hand at miniature painting, submitted paintings for Artisan. I attended school the next year as a new Artisan.

I paint on laminated paper. In full size painting I always used wood panels. I never liked the “hills and valleys “ of canvas when painting a straight line. The paper is also a perfect thickness for miniature framing materials. I use a medium to thin the paint and try to remove all stroke marks, especially in the skies of my paintings.

Besides my love of painting, I like structures. I have taken classes with many different artisans in that area and have learned so much aboutmaterials and aging, not to mention becoming familiar with the tools necessary for constructing miniatures. The dollhouse kit I purchased was completed four years later. I achieved Fellow in Fine Arts with I.G.M.A in 2007

I find landscapes to be a challenge. Cats and other animals are my favorite subjects. Good quality photos are used to get as much detail as possible .Photoshop is used to get the correct color and contrast of the photo. I also love to paint in B&W and did a collection of Civil War Generals. Anyone interested in commissions can contact me at sue88@ptd.net.